


Descent

by JamieB93



Series: Blood Feud [11]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: F/M, Harley Keener & Peter Parker are Siblings, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, Harley Keener is a Good Bro, Kid Harry Osborn, Kid Peter Parker, Norman Osborn Being a Jerk, Norman Osborn's A+ parenting, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess, Protective Ben Parker, Protective Harry Osborn, Protective May Parker (Spider-Man), Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:22:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26234116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamieB93/pseuds/JamieB93
Summary: He smiled. Tony did not.“I’m fine” he said brightly, “Honestly, it’s-it’s fine. I’m fine.”“I don’t believe you” Tony said pointedly, “You don’t need to pretend that-““I’m not” Peter snapped, “I’m fine, really, I’m fine.”“Peter-““I said I’m fine” Peter smirked, “Harley’s not. He’s crying. Look after him, I’m fine. I just-I need to get some air-“He left without another word and felt grateful when he heard May stopping Tony from following him. Because he was not fine. Obviously. How could he be?Guilty.They’d found Richard guilty.
Relationships: Harley Keener & Peter Parker, Harley Keener & Tony Stark, Harry Osborn & Ben Parker, Harry Osborn & Johnny Storm, Harry Osborn & Norman Osborn, May Parker & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Blood Feud [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1709539
Comments: 30
Kudos: 116





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo....Book 2 of 5 (maybe 6 i'm figuring it out) is a go.
> 
> The book itself will be set 2 years after the events of the first, but these next 2 chapters are essentially acting as the prologue for it. They're a bit shorter than normal but I needed to showcase what happens after Richard's trial in order for the next book - titled Descent - to work.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

**Blood Feud**  
Book 2: _Descent_  
Prologue.

**Friday, 15th January 2010, New York County Courthouse, Manhattan, New York City, New York.**

“Harry! Harry!” Johnny Storm called desperately after Harry Osborne as the two teenagers waded through the massive crowd who had gathered for the final verdict of Richard Parker, the man accused of killing Harry’s mother Mary the previous summer. The two boys were meant to be in school, of course, but Harry’s determination to see his mother’s killer finally brought to justice had overwhelmed him and he had grabbed Johnny by the cuff of his wrist during recess and dragged him off of the school grounds, across snow-ridden January New York to the state’s biggest courthouse to watch the man accused of killing his mother be found guilty of the crime. 

Harry powered ahead, ignoring Johnny’s pleas, determined to find Ben Parker and make sure he was holding up alright with his brother on the dock. Johnny eventually caught up with him and turned him back around to face his blonde best friend. 

“I have to do this, Johnny” Harry snapped, “I have to be here”

“Just don’t think it’s going to do you any good” Johnny said for what seemed like the thousandth time that morning, “Ben and May were pretty clear that they didn’t want you, Peter or Harley here. They managed to stay away so why can’t you?”

Harry’s jaw locked. The answer was obvious. The answer was easy. Yeah, he knew that Richard Parker was guilty as sin and that he was going to revel in the moment where he was found guilty, but Harry couldn’t help but sort of understand the guy just a little bit. He was a killer as well. Alright, the person he killed was a dirty rapist who had hurt Peter in the worst way ever, but he still took someone’s life and there wasn’t a day that went by he didn’t think about it. He wondered if Richard Parker ever felt the same way he did. He hoped he felt worse. Richard had killed someone totally innocent. 

He wanted to see the look on Richard Parker’s face when the Guilty verdict was read out. Not just so he could smirk and enjoy his mother’s killers misery as his own life was taken away from him, but so for a second he could imagine what it would be like if people ever found out what really happened to Steven Westcott and he ended up in that position. How would he react? What would that sound like? What would it mean to spend the rest of his life in prison? Harry didn’t think about Steven Westcott all that much, he had other trauma’s to keep him up at night, but on a day like today it was impossible not to. 

“You don’t have to stay” he told Johnny, “Seriously, go home or back to school or whatever. Thanks for keeping me company but-“

“My card was marked the second I followed you over that fence” Johnny smirked, “Reed’s gonna have my ass on a platter regardless, I might as well earn the grounding. Besides….we stick together no matter what, right?”

“Right” Harry said with a nod and a smile, grateful for his best friend. 

“But if you wanna leave…” Johnny continued, “Then we can go and no one will ever have to know we were ever here. We could go and do something fun, something to take your mind off of things like Harley and Peter are doing.”

“School was meant to be that” Harry said bitterly, thinking about the argument he and May had had that morning about how a day at Coney Island in the freezing January cold wouldn’t “bring his Mom back or stop him thinking about the scumbag who killed her”. He regretted the words instantly when he noticed Ben’s little wince. 

It was partly why he was currently in the courthouse and surrounded by the world’s media in a barely concealed disguise. Johnny had wanted to go full out with wigs but Harry had insisted a hoodie and a cap would be enough. Now he wasn’t sure. 

“As long as you’re sure” Johnny sighed before raising his eyebrows, “Your Dad’s over there by the way, that creep Beck’s with him as well.”

Harry shook as he turned around and saw that his father and Quentin Beck were, indeed, standing together talking in hushed whispers as they always did. Harry’s blood ran kind of cold as he looked at his father. In the seven months since he’d abandoned Harry and his brothers, separating them from their baby sister Abigail, Norman had only briefly visited twice. Once for a business meeting in October and then for Christmas, arriving late on Christmas Eve and departing early on December 26th after spending most of the previous day ignoring the boys at all costs once their obligatory trip to their mother’s grave for the sake of press coverage was over. Harry hated him. Seeing Abbie again had set Peter’s progress back some way and Harley had cried for three days once they’d left and now Norman was back in New York just days before his 11th birthday, and Harry knew there was no intention of Norman sticking around to even give his youngest son so much as a pat on the back.

“Let’s stay over here” Harry muttered, “I don’t wanna be anywhere near him, or for Ben to find-“

“Ben to find what?” Ben Parker’s rarely expressed but ultimately unmistakable stern voice rang out behind the two teenagers, both of whom whipped around in horror to see Ben standing behind them with his arms folded and an unimpressed look on his face. “Find out that you cut class to sneak over here even though you were specifically told not to, Harold?”

“Don’t call me that, that’s what Norman calls me” Harry muttered, blushing. Ben sighed and his face softened a little. 

“I’m sorry” he said, “I really wished you’d stayed at school bud, this is no place for you”

“I’ve got to see him, Ben” Harry said desperately, “I need to hear it for myself. I know May’s gonna be super mad at me but I couldn’t just stay at school and I-well, I wanted to make sure you’re Ok?”

“Me?” Ben asked. 

“Well, he is your brother” Harry muttered, looking at his feet cos he knew sure as shit he couldn’t hold it together if he looked up and saw the misty adoring look that always clouded Ben’s eyes at times like this, and judging by the sudden atmosphere change he knew he’d hit a nerve. 

“Buddy” Ben sighed as he stepped forward and put a hand on Harry’s shoulder, “That’s very considerate of you but I’m not going to let you put yourself through something like this just for me….not….not after everything else”

The response seemed to confuse Johnny, who knew nothing of what had really happened to Steven Westcott and never would if Harry had his way, who opened his mouth to ask what Ben meant but was interrupted before he could start by the presence of Norman Osborne and Quentin Beck who had had their attentions drawn over by Ben and Harry’s discussion. Almost unconsciously, Ben stepped in front of the two teenagers, almost as if to protect them from Beck and Osborne.

Johnny gave Harry a puzzled look. Clearly what Ben had just said was playing on his mind.

“You should have said you were coming, Norman” Ben said sternly, “We agreed you’d give us notice so we could prepare the boys, avoid those three days of heartbreak we got after Christmas.”

“Harley will get used to it” Norman said casually, “Besides, we’re setting straight off back to Washington, there’s no need to even tell him.”

“No, we’ll just let him read it in the papers or online” Ben shot back, “No doubt you’ll be clambering to get yourself in front of the TV cameras the second the verdict’s revealed.”

“I don’t appreciate your tone, Benjamin” Norman said sternly, holding up a finger as he warned Ben who smirked and did not look like he was about to back down. Harry gulped; he hadn’t wanted this. Johnny stood solid as a rock next to him and he was grateful.

“And I don’t appreciate your presence, Norman” Ben snarled back, “It’s not fair of you to just drop in and out of the boys lives like this. You gave me your word that they would have consistency and you flying back between New York and Washington is not giving them that. They’re confused.”

Norman seemed unmoved.

“This is the trial of the man who murdered my wife, Benjamin” Norman reminded him, “Don’t you think it would look strange if I wasn’t here? People would ask questions. And I’ve got to show willing for the sake of my sons and Abigail, haven’t I?”

“The sons you signed away your paternal rights to” Ben reminded him, “As far as myself, May and the state of New York is concerned, they’re our kids.”

“Do you see me contradicting that?” Norman asked, “No. Do as you will with them, but we agreed that the arrangement remains strictly confidential as far as the public are concerned. And as far as the public are concerned, I am a doting single father struggling to divide his attentions between his billion dollar company, political career and four motherless children. And that’s how it will remain.”

Ben bit down on his lip and Harry could tell his guardian was on the verge of saying something to Norman that they’d all probably end up regretting, so he calmly took Ben’s hand in his own and squeezed it. It was what Ben did to him whenever he was upset or angry so Harry figured it should work in return. It seemed to. Norman, witnessing this, smirked and turned his attentions to Harry. 

“Do you honestly wish to be here, Harold?” he asked, addressing Harry directly for the first time since he had abandoned the boys the previous June. Harry felt his blood turn cold as his father’s icy stare monopolized him for the first time in seven months and gulped. It was stupid, really, that even after all this time his father could still reduced him to a stuttering wreck with one sentence and some brief eye-contact. 

“Y-yes, sir” Harry stuttered, standing forward and focusing all of his energy on not looking at how Ben and Johnny were reacting to Norman’s words, “I-I do. I n-need to be h-here.”

Harry had been expecting the same kind of response from his father that Ben and, inevitably later, May gave him but instead was surprised as his father’s grimace turned into a smile, he laughed heartily and put his arms around Harry’s shoulders. Harry didn’t even have time to flinch. 

“Very well, and you’ll sit next to me of course.” Norman said with a smile, “Beck, make sure there’s some shots of myself and Harold sitting together before the verdict is read. Father and son, sharing their pain, waiting for the guilty verdict. It’ll play very well.”

Beck, ever the yes man, nodded and headed off to some reporters gathered just outside of the courtrooms.

Harry didn’t need to look at Ben, he could feel the sense of hurt and anger piercing the back of his head, he could feel Johnny’s anxiety as well. He took a deep breath and looked up at his father. 

“I’ll only play your little games if Ben and Johnny can sit with us as well. On my other side.” Harry managed to say with a surprising amount of conviction that seemed to take even his father by surprise, “I need them next to me. They make me feel safe.”

Norman nodded.

“Very well, I suppose” he sighed, “Just….make it look as if I’m the one comforting you, OK? Even if it’s only for a few seconds. I never ask much of you anymore, do I Harold?”

His name had been spat. It was rot on the floor. Harry wasn’t an idiot, he wasn’t fooled. His father was not remotely bothered about his welfare, he was using Harry for PR. But if it got Harry into that court and gave him the chance to look Richard Parker in the eyes, then it would be worth it. It was only a few seconds, though it still felt like he was betraying Ben.

As Norman moved away to help Beck organize the sudden changes, Harry felt a comforting grip on his shoulders and placed his hand over Ben’s.

“I’m sorry” he said, not turning to face Ben, “I’m sorry, but I have to do this.”

“I get it, kid” Ben sighed, “I do. But don’t be fooled. Don’t think for a moment that Norman means any of this, he’s just using you.”

“Worth it, if it gets me what I want” Harry replied, “I have to look at him Ben. I have to see how he reacts. If he breaks down or if he accepts it.”

“OK” Ben said sadly, “And I’ll be with you the whole time, your hand in mine. There for one another like we always have been….because I love you Harry, I really love you.”

“I love you too” Harry said thickly as his father and Beck returned.

“OK, that’s all sorted” Norman said with a smile. Johnny stepped forward and stood beside Harry, looking up at his best friend’s father with a fire in his eyes that Harry had never seen before, “Problem, Storm?”

“You disgust me” Johnny spat and Harry gasped, wanting his best friend to shut up immediately, no good ever came from talking to Norman Osborne like that, “You don’t give a shit about Harry or his brothers, you’re just using them to make yourself look better. It’s sick.”

“Is it now?” Norman replied, smirking as he folded his arms and stood over Johnny, who did not seemed phased at all by how much taller the man was than him.

“Yeah, it is” Johnny snapped, refusing to break the eye-contact, “Trying to make out like you’re the perfect Dad, maybe someone should tell those reporters how you hit Harry and you made Harley feel so bad about himself that he refuses to eat sometimes.”

Norman paused to consider his response, and Harry didn’t think he’d ever been more scared in life. He was half-expecting his father to just hit Johnny in the middle of a packed out public space but luckily Ben had moved forward and shielded Johnny from him, the blonde-haired teenager still unphased and staring daggers at Norman.

Who, to the surprise of everyone, merely chuckled and rested a hand on a now very confused looking Johnny’s shoulder, 

“I like this one” he said casually before casting an arm around Harry and steering his oldest son into the now opened courtroom. 

Ben and Johnny shared a look of bewildered eye-contact before following them inside. 

*

“Just one-“

“I don’t want to-“

“Please, Harley, I’m having a whole bunch look” Peter said with a smile as he gathered a handful of gummy bears and smashed them into his mouth all in one. Harley smirked.

“That’s gonna make you throw up” he smirked, “That’s too many gummies.”

“Noshnot” Peter said with his mouth full of sweets, “Jushonepleeze”

Harley sighed and reached over into the bag of sweets Peter was now handing to him, he gently took three out of the bag and rolled them around in his hand as Peter finally managed to swallow his handful and laughed. 

“They don’t have little gummy families you know, Harls” Peter said with that winning smile of his that always made Harley feel like he could take on the world whenever he saw it, “It’s fine to eat them. They’re tasty.”

“They taste of nothing” Harley said as he rolled his eyes, “It’s just sugar and jelly or whatever.”

“Well, I think they’re nice-“

“Your left eye is twitching-“

“OK, so maybe that was too many at one time” Peter said with a laugh and it was just about Harley’s favourite sound in the world, “Seriously, Harls, I’m not gonna force you to eat them, it’s just so you know it’s OK to have some snacks between meals sometimes”

Harley nodded and took a deep breath. He felt stupid. They were only three little gummy bears at the end of the day, how much harm could they actually do? Cautiously, Harley put all three in his mouth at once and chewed briefly before swallowing. Peter smiled at him. They really did taste of nothing though.

“What?” he asked a beaming Peter.

“Nothing” Peter said with a shrug, “I’m just proud of you, you never woulda ever done that a few months ago and now look at you. Sneaking candy before lunch.”

Harley blushed. He wasn’t better, not really. Food was still a massive issue for him and he only ate to please someone else half the time. Peter. May. Ben. Harry. They always seemed to want him to and they’d always remind him it’s what his Mom would want him to do as well so he did but he didn’t mean that he had to enjoy it. 

They were sitting on Peter’s bed right now, doing whatever they could to take their minds off of the fact that within the next hour, they’d probably know whether Richard Parker had been found guilty of killing their Mom. Peter had been in full chirpy, happy, optimistic mood all day and Harley knew it was all an act to make him feel less anxious and he hated himself for letting it work but being around Peter always made him feel at ease. 

May was currently in the kitchen making them some lunch. They had been meant to spend the day at Coney Island but had decided to stay at home when Peter had had a panic attack just before they left so May decided to keep them at home. Harley wasn’t fussed. He knew as long as he would be around Peter all day then he’d be fine. 

“I’m sorry about earlier” Peter muttered a few minutes later under his breath, “We could be on a rollercoaster right now if it wasn’t for me. I really suck sometimes, don’t I?”

“No you don’t” Harley assured him, “You’re the best. I didn’t really wanna go anyway, as long as I’m with you and May I don’t really mind.”

“Harry’s gonna be so upset if Uncle Rich is found not guilty” Peter sighed as he looked outside of his window, it was snowing outside, which probably would have meant they wouldn’t have been able to go on many rollercoasters anyway, “Like…really upset.”

Harley was surprised Peter had even brought up the subject. 

“What about you?” he asked his big brother, “Would you be upset?”

“Dunno” Peter said with a shrug, “What about you?”

“Dunno, either” Harley admitted, “…..Do you think Dad’s there?”

“Probably” Peter replied, “He’ll want to talk the news and stuff I figure, then he’ll probably fly back to Washington. He won’t have brought….well, y’know…”

Harley sighed. Peter wasn’t even able to see Abbie’s name anymore. It was weird. Harley missed his little sister a lot as well but it was like for some reason it was ten times worse for Peter. He’d insist he was fine every day but Harley could always hear him crying in his bedroom every night when he thought no one else could hear him.

“Yeah” Harley said sadly, “Do you think….do you think that he’d…maybe he’ll stay for my birthday? It’s only four days away, he could stay!”

Peter sighed. Normally, he’d go along with whatever idea Harley got into his head for the sake of protecting his younger brother but today he just didn’t have it in him. He knew that it would be crueler to let Harley get his hopes up about Norman giving a damn over his birthday than it would be to tell him now. But he didn’t need to. Peter could see from the look on Harley’s face that his silence alone had done the job.

“I’m sorry, Harls” he said as he put his hand on his little brother’s still far too boney shoulders, “But we’ll make sure you have the best birthday ever, I promise.”

Harley nodded before sighing sadly and taking himself away. Peter wanted to go after him and make sure he was alright but he knew that sometimes it was better to leave Harley on his own when he was upset. At least he’d eaten some of the gummy worms.

Peter groaned and turned on to his side, dreading whatever outcome of the trial.

He didn’t really know how long he’d been laying down on his bed by the time May came in and gently placed a hand on his shoulder and sweetly told him that lunch was ready, and that there was someone here to see him and Harley. Peter had been finding more and more lately that he was losing hours at a time and had no idea where they went. Sometimes it was link a really long blink. He’d close his eyes for a second and then when he opened them again, someone was in his face telling him six hours had gone by and that they were all worried about him. This seemed to be one of those times.

“I’m sorry” he groaned as May sat down on the edge of his bed and took his hand in hers, “I didn’t mean to-I’m sorry-“

“Hey, it’s OK” May said sweetly as she squeezed his hand, “You weren’t even out for that long this time, only two hours. But lunch is ready and Tony’s here to see you and your brother so I think we should go out and see him, don’t you?”

Peter nodded. He liked it when Tony came around, which he’d been doing a lot more recently, he liked talking to the man about science and technology and Tony actually seemed to care what he thought about it as well. 

“OK” he said quietly before blushing, “Do you think you could-?”

“Of course” May said with a smile as she tucked some of Peter’s increasingly curly and unruly hair behind his ear. He was asking her to hold his hand. Sometimes when he came around from his spacey episode, he needed some form of physical contact from someone he loved to help him back to normal. Sometimes it was May holding his hand. Sometimes it was Harry tapping his fingers across Peter’s neck. Other time it was Harley drawing little patterns on the back of his hand with a sharpie. The one who helped the most was Ben who would just sit with Peter on the sofa and trace soothing circles with his hand on Peter’s back that made him feel more at peace than he’d ever known. 

May lead Peter into the dining room where Harley was already deep in conversation with Tony Stark, who was looking at the boys Biology homework Miriam had set him the night before. May coughed as they entered the room and Tony shot up with a smile, striding towards Peter.

“Hey kiddo, how we doing?” he asked. 

“I’m OK” Peter replied quietly, “Sorry….I was…sleeping, didn’t meant to not be here when you got here”

“No worries on that score kiddo” Tony replied brightly, “Growing boys like you need their sleep, and Harley here’s been keeping me entertained with his homework. I think intelligence must run in your guys’ genes.”

“Peter’s the smartest though!” Harley piped up, “He’s a genius.”

“We’re all smart” Peter insisted, “…..Have you heard anything from….you know?”

May and Tony shared an entirely un-subtle look of worry at one another that Peter did not miss and found himself frowning at, even if he did still feel a bit spacey. After all this time, Ben and May had promised they wouldn’t keep secrets from Peter and his brothers anymore and this was just that.

“Tell me.” He said sternly

“Guilty” Tony said before May could, “On all charges. Life conviction.”

“Oh” Peter replied, feeling deflated. Harley sniffled a few times and May rushed over and draped her arms around his shoulders as he started to cry in earnest. Tony moved forward and put his hands on Peter’s shoulders and looked at him.

“Are you OK?” Tony asked

“I don’t know” Peter replied honestly, “I need-I need-“

_What you need doesn’t matter. What you need doesn’t matter. Not compared to everyone else. Look at Harley. Look at how selfish you’re being, making it all about you. Smile. He needs you to smile, everyone needs you to smile, people only like you when you smile._

He smiled. Tony did not.

“I’m fine” he said brightly, “Honestly, it’s-it’s fine. I’m fine.”

“I don’t believe you” Tony said pointedly, “You don’t need to pretend that-“

“I’m not” Peter snapped, “I’m fine, really, I’m fine.”

“Peter-“

“I said I’m fine” Peter smirked, “Harley’s not. He’s crying. Look after him, I’m fine. I just-I need to get some air-“

He left without another word and felt grateful when he heard May stopping Tony from following him. Because he was not fine. Obviously. How could he be?

_Guilty._

They’d found Richard guilty.

That meant he’d done it.

That meant Richard had killed Peter’s mom. When he was supposed to be her friend. When he was supposed to be there for them. When he was supposed to have loved her. 

It didn’t make sense. It didn’t make any sense at all. Peter had known his Uncle Richard all his life and murder just wasn’t something he was capable of.

Was he? Maybe Peter had never known him at all.

As he paced back and forth in his bedroom, Peter felt more and more sick. He’d never really even dared to consider if he actually believed Richard was guilty or not. Sure, he’d handed himself in but Peter always figured maybe he was desperate or he’d gone mad because he was so heartbroken over Mary’s death, he didn’t want to consider the fact that he’d actually done it.

There was a small crash a few doors down. Peter picked up on the sound but no one else in the house seemed to, he could hear Tony and May calming Harley down in the dining room.

Cautiously, Peter made his way to the source of the noise, his parents now unused bedroom and was faced with a tall, slightly greying man getting himself to his feet. He was wearing a red baseball cap and a massive black coat with a hood. He was panting and he had a large slash across his forehead.

Peter blinked. It couldn’t be.

“Uncle Rich?” he gasped.

“Peter, I need you to stay quiet” Richard said desperately as he held a hand out towards Peter, “Just stay still, don’t shout, I’ll explain everything I promise. Just close the door and I’ll explain. Please, Peter. Please, I need your help.”

*


	2. Prologue, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony looked between Peter and Richard for a second and suddenly a lot of stuff made sense. Parker had escaped and come back to the penthouse, surely one of the first places that the police would look it being the home of his supposed victims family, not for his own protection but to come and collect Peter and whisk him away from whatever danger he was in. But why? Why Peter? Why an innocent kid who had never done anything to hurt anyone? And why only Peter, why not Harley or Harry as well? What was so special about Peter that he was the only one these people had their eyes on?
> 
> Whatever the reason though, it was clear Richard Parker had come here to take Peter Osborne away with him and there was no way Tony was going to let that happen over his dead body.
> 
> “Answer the question, Parker” Tony said sternly
> 
> “He’s not safe here” Parker replied, “They-they want him too. If they know what-but he doesn’t even, shit, it was never supposed to be this way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Part 2!

**Blood Feud**  
Book 2: _Descent_  
Prologue (Part 2)

**Friday, 15th January 2010, Osborne Family Penthouse, Manhattan, New York City, New York.**

Peter stood routed to the spot as Richard looked at him in desperation, the gun not so carefully tucked under the man’s coat not escaping his attention for a second. Why did Richard have a gone? Where did he get it? Was it the same one he had used to kill Peter’s mom? Why was he here and not in jail if he had just been found guilty of killing her? A million and one questions were running through Peter’s mind but he was unable to formulate sound, unable to tear his eyes away from the deadly weapon tucked under the arm of a man he’d been raised to believe he could trust. A man who was a murderer. A man who had killed his mother and run away instead of facing up to what he’d done.

“I’m not going to hurt you” Richard said softly as Peter continued to stand in horror, “I’m not going to hurt you Peter, I promise. The guns to protect _me_ it isn’t to hurt _you_.”

“I-I-why are you here?” Peter finally managed to ask, “M-Mr. St-Stark said they f-found you guilty, how are you here? Wh-why are you h-here?”

“I jumped” Richard replied quickly, “When-when they found me guilty, I just-I ran, Pete. I smacked both guards on either side of me, jumped out the dock and just let my feet carry me. Don’t ask how I got away without being caught because I don’t know but here I am.”

“The police will be looking for you” Peter said quietly

“I know” Richard sighed.

“They’ll take you back to prison” Peter went on, feeling angrier and angrier by the second. He felt one of his nails dig into the palm of his hand as his hands curled into a fist.

“I know” Richard said again.

“Which they should because you’re a murderer” Peter spat, his entire body shaking, “You killed my Mom.”

“I didn’t”

“You confessed, and they found you guilty” Peter snapped taking a step closer to Richard, still not able to take his eyes off that gun, “You killed her.”

“I didn’t” Richard repeated, closing his eyes, and taking a deep breath as he did so.

“Then why would you confess?” Peter asked, “Why would you say you did it when you didn’t? It wasn’t like you were arrested or anything, you handed yourself in.”

“I had to, I had no choice” Richard said sadly, “Look, Pete….I can’t tell you everything now because it would be putting you in too much danger but I promise, hand on heart, that I did not kill your Mom. I couldn’t. I’ve never loved anyone like I loved Mary, I could never hurt her ever.”

Peter blinked. Sometimes Harry accused him of being too nice, too soft, too forgiving. Always wanting to see the best in people and giving them another chance. He wondered if this was one of those moments because deep inside of him, something was telling Peter that Richard was telling the truth. He really was innocent. He really hadn’t killed Peter’s mother.

“I, err-“

“Like I said, I need your help, Pete” Richard said desperately, “That’s why I’ve come here. Because you’re a good boy, aren’t you? A sweet, helpful, kind boy. You’ll do anything to help anyone, won’t you? Well, I need you to help me today Peter, I need you so much I-“

Richard was knelt down, a hand on each of Peter’s shoulders, practically shaking the boy as he begged and then before Peter knew what was what, Richard Parker had broken down in tears in front of him and was crying into Peter’s arm.

“Wh-wh-what do you n-need?” Peter asked. Richard’s face shot back up and he smiled as he wiped his tears away but before he could answer, the door to the bedroom opened and Peter suddenly found himself pulled into Richard’s body with a hand covering his mouth. His eyes bulged as Richard clocked the gun and pointed it at whoever was coming through the door.

Tony.

“What the-?” Tony asked as what he saw in front of him registered after a few seconds of shock. Peter tried to worm himself away from Richard, but the man’s grasp was too strong, “Parker, what the hell are you doing here? Let him go.”

“Shut the door, Stark” Richard said in a voice so quiet but cold and demanding that it sent a shiver down Peter’s spine and he was left wondering if his instincts had failed him. Maybe Richard had killed his Mom. If he was capable of this. “Just shut the door and no one has to get hurt.”

Tony made brief eye-contact with Peter, his hands raised in surrender, before closing the door gently behind him and then turning back to face Richard.

Peter whimpered against Richards’s hand, finding it hard to breathe.

“You’d better have a damn good explanation” Tony said gravely.

*

**Friday, 15th January 2010, New York County Courthouse, Manhattan, New York City, New York.**

Johnny had never seen anything quite like it before. One minute, they were sitting in court waiting for Richard Parker’s verdict to be read out and then the next, he’d been found guilty, pretended to fall to the floor before attacking everyone around him and running out of the courtroom before anyone could catch him or really assess what had happened. And now the court was in chaos. People running around on their phones trying to get their exclusives and recollections of the event out first, others were panicking thinking there was a murderer on the loose and in the middle of it all, Johnny and Harry stood watching as the chaos unfolded before them.

Ben Parker had been quickly whisked away by officers, probably because they thought he would be able to give some help on finding out where his brother might have gone and Norman Osborne had left his eldest son in the middle of all of this to get himself in front of a television camera as soon as possible. Johnny watched from across the room with a scowl on his face as Norman addressed the world’s media in an Oscar worthy act of distress and confusion. Johnny knew better. He’d seen the look on Osborne’s face when the guilty verdict had been read out, and it was one of relief. If Johnny had enough evidence to say it and he didn’t think it’d end up destroying his life in some way, he’d have had a good mind to accuse Norman Osborne of his wife’s murder.

Someone who did remained convinced that Richard was guilty, however, was Harry who hadn’t really reacted to the man’s escape and was probably still trying to process the verdict.

“He did it” Harry squeaked a few seconds later, his first words since before they went into the courtroom, they were timid and he sounded about six years old, “I can’t believe it, he did it…he…he killed my Mom. I don’t understand…why, why would he-how could he? And he looked scared, Johnny. He looked so scared when they said he’d spend the rest of his life in prison-“

“We should go” Johnny said quickly, knowing that if none of the adults in Harry’s life cared about him enough to get him out of this situation, then it would be down to him to do so. “Harry, we should go. You should be at home with your brothers, not here with all this.”

“Yeah, yeah we should go” Harry replied, taking one last look at his father over his shoulder before taking a deep breath and trying to smile at Johnny, “Not much we can do about it now.”

Johnny nodded, just relieved that Harry seemed to have come back.

He’d texted Reed to come and pick him up a few minutes before. Johnny knew that he was going to be grounded until Summer for coming to the courthouse today, but it was worth every second of it if it meant he could be there for Harry. Because who else was? Ben Parker should have been, but his selfish brother had ruined all of that and Harry’s father clearly didn’t care.

The boys ended up sitting on the steps of the courthouse waiting for Reed to pick them up. Johnny supposed that they could have just got the subway back to Harry’s house but with Richard Parker running around somewhere he didn’t really feel comfortable doing that, and Harry was still not quite recovered from his shock yet and had had to be practically guided to the stairs by Johnny.

“How did my life get so fucked up, Johnny?” Harry asked after a few minutes of silence.

“I dunno” Johnny sighed, “Life’s confusing sometimes.”

“Why would he run?” Harry asked sadly, “Why would he confess and then run? Why would he let us think it might all be over, and then make it ten times worse at the last second? Does he hate us that much?”

Johnny wished he had an answer for his best friend, but he didn’t, none of this made any sense to him at all. All he wanted was to make sure that he could make Harry as happy as he could whenever they were around one another, but he had to wonder how selfish that was of him, whether that was trying to force Harry into a mood he didn’t want to be in. But surely making Harry happier could never be a bad thing? It was just another example of Johnny overthinking everything he said and did when he was around Harry.

Even now, it was there. Harry looked up at Johnny and gave him a faint sad smiled as they waited, and Johnny felt his heart skip a beat once again. He hadn’t told a soul in the world about his crush on his best friend yet and it was becoming harder and harder to keep to himself, he ached to share it with someone but he also didn’t feel ready come out and tell his friends or family he was gay.

Especially if it meant he could lose Harry, and that wasn’t an option.

“You good?” Harry asked, Johnny having been lost in his head for almost two minutes, “Sorry, I don’t mean to put all my shit on you it’s just-“

“No, sorry, I was just thinking” Johnny replied quickly, “I-fuck, I dunno Harry, it’s all so fucked up and I am so sorry. If I could make you not go through it, I would.”

Harry smiled, and Johnny’s stomach did somersaults. He could think endlessly about his favourite things about Harry; his chestnut brown hair, the dimples when he smiled, his piercing green eyes, hell Johnny even found his ears charming in their own way.

“How do you get through it?” he asked, “You know….never seeing your parents again, does….does it get easier?”

“It gets….easier to live with” Johnny sighed, he despised talking about his parents and their deaths but this was Harry and he was pretty sure he’d do anything for Harry at this point, “Like….I’m not OK with it, I can still get really down about it but there are days when I don’t think about it at all. Days where I can focus on more than just how much it hurts to think about them. Actually remember the good times, the few I can still remember anyway. You’re luckier than me in some ways, you’ll never forget your Mom’s voice. Mine gets quieter every day.”

“Thanks” Harry said sadly, “Sorry if…sorry if that upset you, I just know that…y’know, that you get it. More than anyone else I can talk to.”

“Yeah…what else are best friends for, anyway?” Johnny said with a smile as Harry smirked and sighed a little before leaning in a little closer to Johnny, which made the blonde blush furiously and had to look away as Harry’s hand skimmed over his own.

“I hope Ben’s OK” Harry muttered, “It’s not fair that they treat him like a criminal when he’s not done anything wrong.”

“It’s not like he knows anymore than the rest of us where Richard will have gone” Johnny replied, “The police are probably just embarrassed. Reed’s always talking about how useless they are.”

“Talk of the devil” Harry murmured, and Johnny whipped his head back around and stood up quickly as he saw his brother in-law walking up the steps of the courthouse towards him. He didn’t look outwardly angry but Johnny knew Reed enough to tell when he was pissed off and this was definitely one of those times, it spoke a lot to how nice Reed was though that he didn’t let it show in front of a very upset Harry.

“You did the right thing calling me, kiddo” Reed said calmly as he approached them, “Harry, I’m so sorry about what’s happened pal. Is your Dad or Ben around?”

Harry shrugged.

“Mr. Osborne’s _busy_ with the press and the police took Mr. Parker to help look” Johnny replied for his best friend who had suddenly closed off again, “I’m really sorry, Reed-“

“Like I said, you did the right thing calling me” Reed replied quickly, “We’ll talk about it once we’ve dropped Harry off at home. Come on bud, is this all you have?”

Harry nodded as Reed picked his schoolbag up from the floor and slung it over his shoulders, casting a protective arm around Harry as they quickly made their way to the car before being spotted by the few press who were still around. Johnny scampered along after them. He hated when Reed went all silent and angry on him. It was worse than Sue, who would just scream and shout for a few minutes and then calm herself down.

Without even being told he had to, Johnny climbed into the backseat as Reed pretty much lead Harry into the passenger seat, only just stopping short of having to put Harry’s seatbelt on for him. Johnny leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on his best friends’ shoulder once Reed started the car up, catching his brother-in-law’s eyes when he turned positively beetroot when Harry placed his own hand on top of it. Reed sighed and started to drive. No one spoke until they reached the Osborne’s penthouse.

“Thanks” Harry muttered, not making eye-contact with Reed before he picked up his bag and scurrying out of the car without so much as a goodbye to Johnny, which made the teenager feel like his heart was about to break in two even if he knew it was just because Harry was upset and overwhelmed and nothing he’d done wrong.

“Johnny” Reed said pointedly, looking at Johnny’s reflection in the rear view mirror, “Go and give him a hug”

Johnny didn’t need to be told twice, he raced out of the car and reached Harry just as he was about to unlock the door to the penthouse. He turned Harry around and saw that his best friend had already let the tears come and was desperately trying to wipe them away.

“I’m sorry” Harry said sadly as he took a deep breath, “You shouldn’t, I-“

“You have nothing to be sorry for” Johnny replied quickly as he engulfed Harry in a hug and held him for a few seconds whilst he shook, “You need me, call me and I’ll be here. I don’t care if I have to scale down the side of the building cos, I’m going to be grounded for the next fifteen years, if you need me, I’ll be here.”

Harry nodded as Johnny finally released him from the hug and laughed a little nervously.

“Thanks, that means a lot man” Harry said with a smile that made his cheek dimple very pronounced and Johnny felt his heart in his mouth, “You’re a really great friend. It’s like having a third brother.”

Harry hugged Johnny again as the teenager tried to process what he’d just heard. _Like having a third brother._ Ouch. Harry only seeing him as a friend was bad enough but another brother? It wasn’t Harry’s fault of course but it just seemed like a such a cruel reminder of what different pages they were on and by the time Harry released the hug, it was Johnny who found himself holding back tears.

“Text me” Harry said as he opened the door, “I hope you don’t get grounded for too long, I was the one that dragged you there. You only came because you’re kind….you’re like really kind, you might be the nicest person I know, actually. After Peter.”

Johnny did his best to smile as Harry finally went inside and closed the door, he felt like slumping down to the floor and crying his heart out but made it to the car before the tears came out.

And they came.

Like a dam bursting.

“Johnny, bud-no, no c’mon” Reed said somewhat desperately as he took his young brother in-law in his arms and stroked his hair, “C’mon, hey bud, hey, I’m not even mad. Not really. Come on, come on you, you can tell me anything you know that. Or you can tell Sue when we get back, but we can’t help if you don’t tell us what the problem is, Johnny.”

“I don’t know how to help him” Johnny whined. Now wasn’t the time to tell Reed everything.

“You just help him by being you” Reed said with a warm smile as he released Johnny from the hug but kept two arms on the sides of his face, making sure the teenager maintained eye-contact with him, “By being the funny, sweet, kind and ridiculously stupidly loyal friend you are.”

Johnny smiled and chuckled a little.

“Does that mean I’m not grounded?” he asked with a smirk.

“Aww, buddy” Reed said as he affectionately stroked Johnny’s cheek, “You are grounded until the middle of next winter, but that doesn’t mean I’m not proud of you.”

Johnny smiled and settled back down into his seat. It was all worth it. If it helped Harry, it was worth it.

*

“You’re only going to make things worse for yourself by doing this, Parker” Tony said sternly as Richard carried on holding a now crying Peter to his side, “Let Peter go, and I won’t say anything else about this. I’ll give you cars, money, anything you need to get way just…just let Peter go, he doesn’t deserve this, you already killed his Mom-“

“I didn’t, I didn’t kill her” Richard insisted, “I’m innocent.”

“You handed yourself in!” Tony hissed

“I had to” Richard spat back, “It was the only way I knew I could be safe. Locked up. I knew they couldn’t get me in there, or that they’d at least find it hard to.”

“Who? Who would have got you?” Tony asked.

“I can’t say” Richard replied, “Not here anyway, but there’s bad people in this world, Stark. Bad people who have decided it’s in their best interest if certain people are out of the way. Mary was one of them, and it seems I’m another and if I tell you and let Peter hear it, then you’ll be on their list as well.”

Tony blinked. He wasn’t an idiot. If Richard Parker was speaking the truth, he knew exactly who was behind this. The same people who had had his own parents murdered almost twenty years ago. Parker’s gun clocked and Peter squealed behind the palm that still covered his mouth. Tony didn’t care about whatever Richard Parker was running from, he just wanted and needed to get Peter out of this situation, even if it meant dragging himself into something dangerous.

“Then you need to let Peter go” Tony said urgently, “He has nothing to do with any of this, he hasn’t done anything, he’s just a kid. A kid who’s lost his Mom, whatever happened, he’s lost his Mom. Don’t put him through anymore than you already have.”

“I didn’t kill her” Richard spat once again, and for whatever reason, Tony believed him. He didn’t think he’d ever seen someone like as broken and desperate as Richard Parker looked in that moment.

“I believe you” Tony replied, “I believe you, and I get that you need to get out of here but doing it like this isn’t the way. Peter’s just a kid, he’s innocent, he’s-“

“I need him” Parker roared, “You don’t understand, Stark. He’s-shit, please forgive me-God, please forgive me for everything I’ve done-I-“

Parker’s self-pitying cries were duly interrupted when Peter bit down on the hand keeping him in place and rushed out of Richard’s grip and behind Tony as quickly as he could. Parker yelled out in pain and cursed as Tony stood in front of Peter.

Richard Parker glared at them both.

“Sorry” Peter said immediately, “But I couldn’t breathe, and you were really scaring me. Were-were you planning on taking me with you, Uncle Rich?”

Tony looked between Peter and Richard for a second and suddenly a lot of stuff made sense. Parker had escaped and come back to the penthouse, surely one of the first places that the police would look it being the home of his supposed victims family, not for his own protection but to come and collect Peter and whisk him away from whatever danger he was in. But why? Why Peter? Why an innocent kid who had never done anything to hurt anyone? And why only Peter, why not Harley or Harry as well? What was so special about Peter that he was the only one these people had their eyes on?

Whatever the reason though, it was clear Richard Parker had come here to take Peter Osborne away with him and there was no way Tony was going to let that happen over his dead body.

“Answer the question, Parker” Tony said sternly

“He’s not safe here” Parker replied, “They-they want him too. If they know what-but he doesn’t even, _shit_ , it was never supposed to be this way.”

Every instinct in Tony’s body told him to look at Peter and make sure he was alright, but he found himself unable to look away from Richard Parker as the man slumped to the floor and broke down.

“Who’s threatening you, Parker?” Tony asked once again, “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me. I’ll get you away from here, and I’ll find a way to keep Peter safe that keeps him with his family, but I can’t do any of that unless you tell me what I’m protecting him against.”

“I can’t tell you” Parker cried, “I already explained. You probably know too much even now. The only way I can keep Peter safe is if he comes with me, or his whole family could be-“

“I’ll go” Peter said immediately as he moved to stand in front of Tony, “I’ll go with you, if it keeps Harry and the others safe, then I’ll-I’ll come wi-with y-you-“

Tony’s heart was in his mouth as he watched this tiny child, still nothing more than a baby really, tremble in place as he stood before the man accused of murdering his mother and offering up his own safety and welfare as if it was nothing for the sake of his brothers. It was almost unnerving to think of the bravery that ran in the blood of this child and how much more potent and purer than anything either of the grown men in the room could offer the world. Peter’s little hands curled into fists as Richard looked up at him and blinked.

“Peter, kid, you know I can’t let that happen” Tony said calmly behind the boy, “Your place is here with your brothers, you deserve to live a normal life and be as happy as you can. You can’t let this man take you away from everything you’ve ever known just to keep himself safe.”

“Stark, there’s no other way” Parker said sadly as he put his hands on Peter’s trembling shoulders, “It has to be this way, no one’s safe whilst we stay here.”

“It’s OK, Mr. Stark, I’ll g-go with him” Peter insisted.

“The hell you will” Tony snapped as he moved forward and pulled Peter behind once again, “You know, Parker, everyone always told me what a pathetic snivelling little shit you really are but I don’t think I believed it until today. The fact that you think you can just-“

“If he stays where they can find him any longer, he’s going to be killed” Richard snapped, “They will find him, and they will kill him. Just like they will find and kill me. I have to take Peter or-“

“And what, you think they’ll just leave the family alone if Peter’s gone?” Tony shouted back, “If they’re as tenacious as you say they are, what do you think they’re gonna do if they turn up looking for Peter and find out he’s booked it with you? You think they’re just gonna leave everyone else well alone-“

Peter whimpered behind Tony. Clearly in his rush to sacrifice himself for his brothers by running away with Richard, the boy hadn’t really considered what may happen to them if he left them behind. Because Peter was a child and there was no way he should ever have been put in a position where he should have had to decide something like that. It was at that second Tony knew that there was a chance he would have to kill Richard Parker tonight if it meant keeping Peter safe.

“I need to do this” Richard cried, “I promised her I’d keep them safe.”

“Then leave Peter with us, with me” Tony said quietly, “I can protect him far better here where he can stay around everyone, he’s ever known than you can on the run with him somewhere. Now, I can get you out of this Parker, but Peter is non-negotiable. He stays in New York, with us, and I can make sure he’s protected everywhere he goes.”

Parker looked between Tony and Peter and took a deep sigh.

“Fine” he conceded, “But we need to move now, Stark. I have to get out of the country as soon as possible before either the police haul my ass back or _they_ come to find me.”

“Done and done” Tony replied breezily, sneaking Parker out of the country was probably going to be the easiest part of this entire arrangement.

*

Peter insisted on going with Tony and Richard to the docks by Queens later that night. Both men had tried to talk him out of it but Peter was no fool and he knew that Richard had been telling the truth, that there were some people who had their eyes on him for some reason, but he also wanted a chance to say goodbye to the man. He believed now that Richard didn’t kill his Mom and understood that whoever had killed his Mom was probably the same person who was after Richard now. May had been surprised when Peter asked them if he could stay over at Stark Tower with Tony but had allowed it. Peter had been spending a lot more time in the labs there since their father had left New York so it wasn’t too out of the ordinary, and it had been a stressful day.

They pulled up to the docks by midnight with Richard laying down on the backseat of the car to avoid detection and Peter wearing a large coat and beanie hat to avoid recognition. Tony pulled up and told Peter to wait in the car whilst he went and talked to a scary looking man with an eye-patch who had been waiting for them at the location. For the first time since he’d first appeared in the bedroom earlier that afternoon, Peter found himself alone with Richard.

“What did you do to me?” Peter asked. It was a question that had been circling around in his mind all evening. What made him so much more special than his brothers, why would these people who were after Richard only want Peter as well? There must have been something unique about Peter to mean that and the more Peter thought about him it the only thing that really seemed to separate Peter from his brothers were the seizures he got from time to time. Only….he’d not had a single seizure in the whole time since Richard had been arrested and Norman had left New York.

Not even a hint of one, and they’d been so regular before.

“Pete, kid, we-“

“Tell me” Peter said angrily, “I’ve got a right to know, especially if it’s what’s putting me and everyone else in danger.”

“It’s complicated” Richard sighed.

“I’m smart” Peter shot back, “I’m smart enough to understand that whatever you guys tried to make me believe about seizures or whatever is crap, there’s something more to this.”

“You don’t wanna know, kid” Richard replied, “Believe me, you don’t wanna know. What-what we had to do to you, it’s-well, no kid should have to hear it.”

“But I went through it” Peter snapped, “Whatever it is, you did it to me. Just tell me, please.”

Peter turned around and looked at the man he used to just think of as another Uncle. A man, like Skip, he’d grown up around thinking he could trust, thinking that this was someone who loved him and would always be there to protect him but now it seemed that he’d only ever been using Peter for something he could gain.

“It’s my Dad, isn’t it?” Peter asked, “He’s the one who made you did all you did to me, and he’s the one who’s gonna come after you now.”

“Yes” Richard nodded, “He-he’s involved Peter, but it’s bigger than him. Way bigger. Your Dad is an-well, he’s an awful man but he does have one thing going in his favour.”

“What’s that then?” Peter asked.

“He loves you” Richard said simply, “As much as he’s capable of loving someone who isn’t himself anyway, he does care for you Peter, he never wanted you hurt it was just-well, it just so happened it was you he chose to-do what we did-“

“Am I gonna die?” Peter demanded, “Is this-is this something that’s gonna kill me? What you all did to me? Am I like a human explosive or something?”

“No” Richard sighed as he shook his head, “But that doesn’t mean that-that you can’t be used as a weapon in some way, because of what we did. Or almost did. That’s probably why you’re still-well, let’s just say you were at about 95% completion before-we, y’know, stopped-“

Peter frowned. 95% completion? What did that mean?

“So, there’s like an ingredient missing?” he asked.

“Yeah, you could say that” Richard replied sadly, “Just don’t-I do know what you’re like Peter, that curious brilliant mind of yours, don’t go poking around for whatever it is. Maybe this is all for the best. This way, you get a chance to be a normal kid. Just….rest, now. Stark can and will protect you. The second I get on this boat; this is all over and you can just live your life.”

Peter smirked. He would have liked to believe that he really would.

“You know everyone’s still gonna think you killed Mom, right?” he said, “Even Ben. You’ll never see him again, will you?”

“No” Richard said sadly, “No, I won’t but I’ve made my peace with that. Ben and May….I’ve only ever caused them trouble. Once I’m gone, things will be easier for them. They’re better off without me. You all are.”

“What about my Dad?” Peter asked, “How am I ever meant to-“

“He knows it’s too risky now to hurt you like this again” Richard assured him, “He’ll leave you alone now, he’s in too deep and he’s got too much to answer for if any of this gets out. He’ll find a way to get what he wants in the end, I’m sure, that’s what he does. But it won’t be through you.”

“I’m not sure I can live with that” Peter admitted, “Someone else getting hurt when-“

“You don’t have to be a hero in this life, kid” Richard sighed, “Just be a kid. Be normal. Go to school and hang out with your friends and…and make sure my big brothers happy. You boys are his life so I know you will but-but I need to know Ben’s going to be alright.”

“You ask too much of other people” Peter told him, “Anyone ever said that to you?”

Richard smiled.

“Your Aunt May, a lot” he smirked, “I really am sorry Pete, if I could have kept you out of this, kept you innocent, I would have done. You don’t deserve any of this heartache, and I’m sorry.”

Peter nodded and pursed his lips as Tony and the man with the eye-patch gave them both the nod to get out of the car.

“Sorry that took so long” Tony said cheerfully, “My good friend here wasn’t too pleased I brought you here with me, Pete.”

“Like you could have stopped me” Peter said as he stared up at the man with the eye-patch and swore the man’s lips twitched just a little at his comment.

“Peter Osborne, meet Nick Fury” Tony said proudly, “Head of SHIELD.”

“Oh right” Peter said with a smile, “My…err, Dad’s mentioned you before….how did you lose your eye?”

“A cat scratched it out” Fury replied, and Peter wasn’t really sure if he was joking or not, “Now, listen to me, Osborne. I’m not too happy that Stark has involved a thirteen year old-“

“I’m twelve, actually-“

“A _twelve_ year old in this but obviously it is too late to do anything about that” Fury went on, “So, here’s how this is gonna play. Parker is leaving the country tonight to take refuge with some of our allies in Wakanda, Africa. Ever heard of it?”

Peter nodded. Though he was a little confused, Wakanda was meant to be one of the poorest nations on Earth, though he supposed that meant it was probably one of the last places anyone looking for Richard would go.

“Good” Fury continued, “Now, in a weeks’ time, we’re gonna leak to the press that Richard Parker has been found dead at sea so I’m gonna need you to play your part with your family and friends when that comes out. Need you to act like you’re just hearing it for the first time, understood?”

Peter hesitated before nodding. That meant a lot of lying and he really didn’t want to be part of letting Uncle Ben think that his brother was dead.

“Why do we have to pretend he’s dead?” Peter asked.

“Because death brings closure” Fury replied, “Whilst there’s any chance in people’s minds that Richard Parker is still alive, people are going to be looking for him. Don’t worry. We’ve got all bases covered, there will be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Richard Parker is dead. The only people in the world who will know otherwise are the four of us and Parker’s hosts in Wakanda.”

Peter nodded as Tony moved beside him and placed an arm around his shoulder. Richard was quiet and seemed resigned to his fate. They were about ready to move when a car’s headlights illuminated the scene and before Peter knew what was what Tony was dragging him back into his own car. Peter frowned as they passed the new car on the scene.

He recognized the licence plate.

He knew that car.

Uncle Ben’s.

The man himself was now standing with his hands up as Nick Fury clocked his gun and pointed it in his direction. Peter tried to run out to Ben, but Tony stopped him.

“Just give them a minute, kid” Tony whispered.

Ben approached Richard, crying, and took his little brother in his arms. Peter kinda got it. He guessed he’d do the same to Harley and Harry if he knew he’d never see them again even if he did think they had killed someone.

“Parker, you know that-“ Fury said.

“I understand” Ben replied, “Don’t worry.”

“I’m sorry” Richard cried in Ben’s arms, “I’m sorry for everything, I’m sorry for dragging you into more secrets and lies and that Peter-“

Ben’s head whipped around and found Peter’s face. He was almost tempted to give his Uncle a smile and wave but stopped short when he caught wind of Ben’s expression. Pure heartbreak.

“It’s for the best that we never see each other again” Ben said as he released Richard from the hug, “In my mind, I lost you months ago. Years, maybe. You’ve not been my brother, my Rich, for a long time now and maybe having to pretend you’re dead can mean I finally let go.”

“The police-“

“I bought you some time” Ben smirked, “Persuaded them that your childhood dream was to live in Canada so they’re focusing on the border now, but we don’t have long. You need to go.”

“I never meant for any of this, I swear” Richard replied.

“Just get on the boat and go” Ben said coldly, “It’s really time for you to go.”

Richard nodded and followed Fury’s directions on to the boat and Ben turned and made his way towards Peter and Tony.

“You shouldn’t have brought him, Stark” Ben said sternly as he reached them, “It’s unfair to ask Peter to keep a secret like this.”

“I felt he was owed as much truth as we could get” Tony replied, “He’s been lied to and used enough. That stops now. That stops today. Once Richard’s gone, there’s no reason for Peter to end up involved in any of this ever again.”

Ben nodded and looked down at Peter.

“You’re a very special boy, Pete” Ben sighed, “I don’t know what Rich has been doing to you all these years or why, all I know is that your Dad is running scared right now. And that’s good. Because that means he’ll finally leave you alone. Leave you all alone. You can start to move on and heal.”

Peter frowned. It wasn’t that easy. His Mom was still dead. His sister was still in Washington and he never got to see her. Harry was still traumatised, and Harley still refused to eat. Ben had just lost his brother; Peter had lost another uncle and now he knew that his Dad had been using him as a sick scientific experiment for years, and his mind wouldn’t stop rushing.

_There’s no reason for Peter to end up involved in any of this ever again._

He knew right then and there that there had never been a more untrue statement ever made. Peter knew his father. Richard was right. Norman would always get what he wanted in the end somehow, and Peter knew there was no chance he was ever going to sit back and let someone else suffer for what his father wanted.

The battle lines were drawn. This was only the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed, please leave a comment down below!
> 
> So, next update will feature an 18 month time jump to July 2011 and Harry's sixteenth birthday. Should be, hopefully, up in the next month or so but I am back in work full-time for Monday so I can't hold myself to that but it will come. I'm not abandoning this saga, ever.
> 
> Much love,  
> stay safe,  
> Jamie

**Author's Note:**

> DA-DA-DUMMM
> 
> Hope you enjoy and please leave a comment down below!
> 
> Many thanks,  
> stay safe,  
> Jamie


End file.
